Epstein case, Goldman Sachs Chief Legal Officer Kathy Ruemmler resigns

Kathy Ruemmler, legal head of Goldman Sachs, announced last night her resignation after the publication of millions of pages of documents on Jeffrey Epstein. The news is reported by major US newspapers. Ruemmler said he would leave the position as of this summer. He did so in an interview with the Financial Times, among the newspapers that have given prominence to his affair. "I decided that the media attention on me, in reference to my previous work as a defence lawyer, was becoming a distraction," he said. According to the newspaper, the leaked documents reveal Ruemmler's intense contacts with Epstein between 2014 and 2019, well after the latter had pleaded guilty to offences related to child prostitution.

Ruemmler, 54, former legal advisor to the Obama White House, said in a statement to CNN: 'My responsibility is to put the interests of Goldman Sachs first. Today I regretfully informed David Solomon of my intention to step down from the position as of 30 June 2026'. David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs, told CNN: "During her tenure, Kathy has been an outstanding legal advisor and we are grateful for her contribution and sound advice on a wide range of legal matters of great importance to the firm. As one of the most accomplished professionals in her field, Kathy has also been a mentor and friend to many of our staff, and she will be missed. I have accepted her resignation and respect her decision."

The New York Times writes that materials published by the Justice Department would reveal his long relationship with Epstein. Ruemmler and Goldman representatives claimed for years to have had a strictly professional relationship with Epstein, but emails, messages and photographs have overturned this narrative.

Before joining Goldman in 2020, Ruemmler was Epstein's advisor, confidante and friend, the New York Times still writes, as the documents show. She advised him on how to answer difficult questions about his sex crimes, talked about his love life, advised him on how to avoid an unflattering media investigation and addressed him in friendly terms. Epstein, in turn, gave her career advice for her move to Goldman, introduced her to well-known businessmen and showered her with gifts such as spa treatments, luxury trips and Hermès luxury items. In total, Ruemmler was mentioned in more than 10,000 documents published by the Justice Department. The New York Times also reports several details from the documents that prove the close relationship between Epstein and the lawyer.